Expandable List
Join us for our open offerings! Our open online offerings allow postdocs and scholars from around Canada to experience some of our programming virtually in our HyFlex learning environment. Join cohort 7 of the McCall MacBain Postdoc Program and explore topics related to leadership, teaching and knowledge translation. Registration is free.
REGISTER HERE
Sept 24, Oct 8, Oct 22, Nov 5, Nov 19 – Journal Club
9:30am – 10:30am EDT/EST Led by TA facilitators, Katie George, and Joe Kim
Learn more about pedagogical research and educational best practices. If you are currently teaching or plan to teach in the future (in academia, industry or beyond) the EdCog journal club can help you form a foundation for best practices in your career. Join the MAC intro psych TA’s, Katie George (program manager) and Joe Kim (program director) as well as educators, educational developers, academics, students (and more) as we delve into the world of educational research.
October 8 – Understanding EdCog Research
1:00pm – 2:30pm EDT Led by Joe Kim
Education based research is a growing field that allows individuals to better understand how to create meaningful learning experiences for students. This interdisciplinary field can be enriched by any discipline. Academics from around the world have used education based research as an alternative stream of research in their labs. Join Dr. Joe Kim as he discusses education based research and its merit in academia.
October 22 – Delivering Powerful Presentations (Part I)
12:30pm – 3:00pm EDT Led by Joe Kim
Applying findings developed in controlled-lab and classroom-based studies can lead to improved slide design which translates into durable learning that extends from short-term tests to beyond the final exam. Building on the previous workshop in which we learned how to organize the lecture structure, we will next explore the underlying multimedia learning principles that guides good slide design. We will practice as we learn about redundancy, segmentation, signaling, and coherence. Together, these workshops will provide a practical plan for delivering lectures with a cohesive message
November 5 – Delivering Powerful Presentations (Part II: Multimedia Design Principles)
1:00pm – 3:00pm EST Led by Joe Kim and Paulina Rzeczkowska
Applying findings developed in controlled-lab and classroom-based studies can lead to improved slide design which translates into durable learning that extends from short-term tests to beyond the final exam. Building on the previous workshop in which we learned how to organize the lecture structure, we will next explore the underlying multimedia learning principles that guides good slide design. We will practice as we learn about redundancy, segmentation, signaling, and coherence. Together, these workshops will provide a practical plan for delivering lectures with a cohesive message.
November 19 – Best Practices in Teaching (Experiential Learning)
1:00pm – 3:00pm EST Led by Sarah King
Experiential learning and how to engage your students in meaningful learning (inside and outside of the classroom). Experiential learning can be applied to any discipline. It translates to academic teaching as well as industry training. Learn the art of experiential learning with expert Sarah King.
Deliverable: Meet the cohort and get to know more about the year ahead.
90sec elevator pitch and research impact statements
10:30am – 11:30am – Welcome and Orientation
Location: Psychology Building, Room 205
Get to know your cohort. Learn more about the teaching and leadership components of the program.
11:30am – 12:00am – Lunch
12:00pm – 3:00pm – Communication for Leaders
Led by: Monique Armstrong
Location: Psychology Building, Room 205
Review the findings from your leadership assessment.
Creating your 90 second elevator pitch: Program members will create a 90 second elevator pitch and revise their pitch within this workshop. Once perfected, it will be recorded in the MacPherson Studio at McMaster University (by our very own multimedia specialist). View some of the pitches from Cohort 4 to prepare for this deliverable (click on the MORE INFORMATION button to view their video).
Deliverable: Meet the cohort and get acquainted with your peers.
10:00am – 11:30am – Welcome and Orientation
Location: Psychology Building, Room 205
Get to know your cohort and your program facilitators (Katie George, Joe Kim, Jordan Moore) Learn more about the teaching and leadership components of the program.
11:30am – 1:00pm – Postdoc Appreciation Week Event
In collaboration with McMaster University’s Postdoc Office
Presentation: “Focusing on what really matters: A reset for workplace productivity”
Led by Joe Kim
Location: LIVELab, 2nd floor Psychology Building
Postdocs are tasked with many roles, mentor, researcher, instructor, and collaborator (just to name a few). The ability to focus and prioritize what really matters takes time and deliberate planning. Dr. Kim leverages his background in cognitive sciences and educational principles to aide postdocs in creating a plan for success in their academic journey ahead.
1:00pm – 3:00pm – Lunch and Networking Opportunity
Location: Atrium of LIVELab, 2nd floor Psychology Building
Due: Translate your research impact in 90seconds! Complete a rough copy of your 90sec pitch
9:30am – 10:30am – Journal Club
Location: ONLINE
Zoom link
Meeting ID: 957 7392 3010
Passcode: 674623
Yan, V.X., Sana, F., & Carvalho, P.F. (2024). No simple solutions to complex problems: cognitive science principles can guide but not prescribe educational decisions. Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 11(1) 59-66.
11:30am – 1:00pm – Lunch
Location: Psychology Building, Room 205
1:00pm – 3:00pm – Communication for Leaders: Your 90s Pitch
Led by: Katie George & Paulina Rzeczkowska
Location: Psychology Building, Room 205
Learn how to create the perfect pitch and some of the key aspects of communicating your impact. Learn from Digital Media Specialist Paulina Rzeczkowska on how to present your best self to make the perfect pitch.
Due: Complete your 90sec pitch and book your time to record over Reading Week (Oct 14-17)
10:00am – 12:00pm – The Importance of OpEd Part I: Workshop your ideas and write your piece
Led by: Wade Hemsworth
Location: Psychology Building, Room 205
This workshop will prepare Program Members on how to write an Op-Ed article on the topic of their choice. Writing an Op-Ed will help members fine-tune their communication skills by writing for a lay-audience about a complex topic. Op-Eds can be published on the McCall-MacBain program website and submitted to other publication outlets (The Sil, The Spec, etc.)
12:00pm-1:00pm – Lunch
Location: Psychology Building, Room 205
1:00pm-3:00pm – The Importance of OpEd Part II: Introduction to OpEds
Led by: Wade Hemsworth
Location: Psychology Building, Room 205
This workshop will prepare Program Members on how to write an Op-Ed article on the topic of their choice. Writing an Op-Ed will help members fine-tune their communication skills by writing for a lay-audience about a complex topic. Op-Eds can be published on the McCall-MacBain program website and submitted to other publication outlets (The Sil, The Spec, etc.)
Due: Submit your OpEd on Teams for peer review over reading week.
Due: Present your 90sec elevator pitch for peer feedback
9:30am – 10:30am – Journal Club
Location: ONLINE
Zoom link
Meeting ID: 957 7392 3010
Passcode: 674623
Henderson, M., Bearman, M., Chung, J., Fawns, T., Buckingham Shum, S., Matthews, K. E., & de Mello Heredia, J. (2025). Comparing Generative AI and teacher feedback: student perceptions of usefulness and trustworthiness. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 1–16.
11:30pm – 1:00pm – Lunch and Education Research Talks: Research supervisors
Location: Psychology Building, Room 205
Get to know your research supervisors and hear about the interesting educational research ideas that you will be involved with this term.
1:00pm – 2:30pm – Understanding EdCog research
Facilitator: Joe Kim
Location: Psychology Building, Room 205
Learn how to navigate research in the field of education and cognition. Expand your research portfolio and learn collaborative techniques to assist you in choosing the right project for you!
2:30pm – 3:00pm – Working Session
Location: Psychology Building, Room 205
Workshop – Leadership Certification
90-sec Elevator pitch – Complete and edit your 90sec elevator pitch (be ready to present it next week on camera)
Due: Peer Review 3 Op-Eds by Oct 22
Deliverable: Film your 90sec elevator pitch (and headshots with Paulina)
Headshot photo and 90 second Elevator Pitch Filming
Digital Media Specialist: Paulina Rzeczkowska
Location: MacPherson Studio (5th floor Mills Library)
Paulina will take a series of headshot photos from which you will choose your favourite.
Filming your 90 second pitch: your script will be displayed on a telepromter during filming. You will have the opportunity to film your pitch up to 3 times.
9:30am – 10:30am – Journal Club
Location: ONLINE
Zoom link
Meeting ID: 957 7392 3010
Passcode: 674623
Imundo, M.N., Zung, I., Whatley, M.C. et al. (2025). When two learners are better than one: using flashcards with a partner improves metacognitive accuracy. Metacognition Learning, 20, 3.
11:30am – 12:30pm – Lunch
Location: Psychology Building, Room 205
12:30pm – 3:00pm – Delivering Powerful Presentations (Part I)
Location: Psychology Building, Room 205
Led by: Joe Kim
Applying findings developed in controlled-lab and classroom-based studies can lead to improved slide design which translates into durable learning that extends from short-term tests to beyond the final exam. Building on the previous workshop in which we learned how to organize the lecture structure, we will next explore the underlying multimedia learning principles that guides good slide design. We will practice as we learn about redundancy, segmentation, signaling, and coherence. Together, these workshops will provide a practical plan for delivering lectures with a cohesive message.
*Submit a PowerPoint slide from one of your presentations that has been problematic, leading to confusion, boredom, or miscommunication to Paulina for a slide makeover by Oct 29th.
Due: Deliver your 10min mini lesson for ISW Day 1
Due: Submit a PowerPoint slide from one of your presentations that has been problematic, leading to confusion, boredom, or miscommunication to Paulina for a slide makeover reveal in the next session.
9:00am – 4:00pm – Instructional Skills Workshop (ISW) – DAY 1
Location: MacPherson Institute (5th floor Mills Library)
24hrs of micro teaching and learning. Facilitated using a peer-based model of feedback versus an expert model. Participants will use of an instructional design model (BOPPPS/CARD). There is a focus on guided practice, including:
- 3 distinct opportunities for participants to teach a lesson to the group
- 3 distinct opportunities for participants to receive feedback from each member of the group (not the facilitator)
- 3 forms of feedback for each participant per lesson (written, verbal and video)
*Dress to impress – Paulina will take the cohort group photo today!
9:30am – 10:30am – Journal Club
Location: ONLINE
Zoom link
Meeting ID: 957 7392 3010
Passcode: 674623
Roohani, A., & Heidari Vincheh, M. (2021). Effect of game-based, social media, and classroom-based instruction on the learning of phrasal verbs. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 36(3), 375–399.
12:00pm – 1:00pm – Lunch
Location: Psychology Building, Room 205
1:00pm – 3:00pm – Delivering Powerful Presentations (Part II: Multimedia Design Principles)
Location: Psychology Building, Room 205
Led by: Joe Kim & Paulina Rzeczkowska
Applying findings developed in controlled-lab and classroom-based studies can lead to improved slide design which translates into durable learning that extends from short-term tests to beyond the final exam. Building on the previous workshop in which we learned how to organize the lecture structure, we will next explore the underlying multimedia learning principles that guides good slide design. We will practice as we learn about redundancy, segmentation, signaling, and coherence. Together, these workshops will provide a practical plan for delivering lectures with a cohesive message.
Due: Present a 10min mini lesson for ISW Day 2 – Submit feedback forms for ISW
9:00am – 4:00pm – Instructional Skills Workshop (ISW) Day 2
Location: MacPherson Institute (5th floor Mills Library)
24hrs of micro teaching and learning. Facilitated using a peer-based model of feedback versus an expert model. Participants will use of an instructional design model (BOPPPS/CARD). There is a focus on guided practice, including:
- 3 distinct opportunities for participants to teach a lesson to the group
- 3 distinct opportunities for participants to receive feedback from each member of the group (not the facilitator)
- 3 forms of feedback for each participant per lesson (written, verbal and video)
9:30am-10:30am – Journal Club
Location: ONLINE
Zoom link
Meeting ID: 957 7392 3010
Passcode: 674623
Tasdelen, O., Bodemer, D. (2025). Generative AI in the Classroom: Effects of Context-Personalized Learning Material and Tasks on Motivation and Performance. Int J Artif Intell Educ.
11:30am – 1:00pm – Lunch
Location: Psychology Building, Room 205
1:00pm – 3:00pm – Teaching practices (Experiential Learning)
Location: Psychology Building, Room 205
Led by: Sarah King
Experiential learning and how to engage your students in meaningful learning (inside and outside of the classroom). Experiential learning can be applied to any discipline. It translates to academic teaching as well as industry training. Learn the art of experiential learning with expert Sarah King.
Due: Present a 10min mini lesson for ISW Day 3 – Submit feedback forms for ISW
9:00am – 4:00pm – Instructional Skills Workshop (ISW) Day 3
Location: MacPherson Institute (5th floor Mills Library)
24hrs of micro teaching and learning. Facilitated using a peer-based model of feedback versus an expert model. Participants will use of an instructional design model (BOPPPS/CARD). There is a focus on guided practice, including:
- 3 distinct opportunities for participants to teach a lesson to the group
- 3 distinct opportunities for participants to receive feedback from each member of the group (not the facilitator)
- 3 forms of feedback for each participant per lesson (written, verbal and video)
9:30am-12:00pm – PNB Talks
Location: LIVELab (Psychology Building, 2nd floor)
Join us in the LIVElab to experience undergraduate student talks. Assess talks based upon the principles of slide design. Discover some tips that can enhance your own research talks!
Key Fall Deliverables
OpEd report
The Opposite to the Editorial report allows researchers to share their knowledge with the public. Allowing you to reach a larger audience and amplify your voice. Write, edit and submit an OpEd to popular publications such as “The Conversation Canada”
Instructional Skills Workshop (ISW) certification
Program members will complete 24hrs of micro teaching and learning. Facilitated using a peer-based model of feedback versus an expert model. Participants will use of an instructional design model (BOPPPS/CARD). There is a focus on guided practice, including:
- 3 distinct opportunities for participants to teach a lesson to the group
- 3 distinct opportunities for participants to receive feedback from each member of the group (not the facilitator)
- 3 forms of feedback for each participant per lesson (written, verbal and video)
Education Research Project
Postdoctoral fellows will have the opportunity to work with a professor doing education-related work or choose to investigate their own topic. The postdoctoral fellow will have the opportunity to select from these projects to form a research collaboration and mentoring relationship to be conducted throughout the year. The goal of this research project is to showcase the work they’ve done and to disseminate findings that will translate into prescriptions for teaching in the classroom and result in changes in policy.
Leadership Certification
In the fall term, program members will create, edit, peer review and film a 90 Second elevator pitch (with the direction of a DeGroote School of Business facilitator). Mixed media expert (Paulina Rzeczkowska) will guide program members through a perfect headshot and professional filming at the MacPherson Institute Studio.
Journal Club
(Fall term = ONLINE via ZOOM)
Program members will learn a foundational and historic perspective on cognition and educational research. This foundation will assist program members as they move into the winter term and facilitate one weekly journal club meeting (members will choose an article related to education and cognition and in collaboration with a partner, facilitate their own weekly IN PERSON journal club session)
Lunch and Learn
During Program lunches, program members or external PDF’s from around McMaster are welcome to deliver and receive feedback on a job talk. Hear from your peers and perfect your talk to heighten your chances of getting that next job.